Stoke snatch a win

With just two minutes of normal time remaining and the Potters succumbing to a late wonder strike from Scunthorpe it looked like Stoke were going to make it four defeats out of five – but that was before the Iron men put the ball into the back of their own net to bring back a glimmer of hope and then Liam Lawrence wraps it up with just seconds of added on time remaining.

No, that was not a dream, but just what Stoke managed on a night of last minute drama in Lincolnshire.

Tony Pulis made two changes to the eleven that lost to eleven Coventry players and the referee on Saturday, dropping Stephen Wright in favour of Gaby Zakuani and bringing in Carl Dickinson for the injured Andy Wilkinson.

Scunthorpe fielded former player and Potteries born lad, Martin Paterson. Paterson has already claimed seven goals in a good start this season, but told the local press that he had no wishes to add to his tally against his old club.

Stoke opened the scoring in the 26th minute after Ricardo Fuller had beaten off defenders to get to the goal line before passing it back to Richard Cresswell who shot low into the bottom of the net, against the run of play – it has to be said.

The Iron, though, were back on level terms within five minutes via a goal from Heyes, picking up a deflection from Ryan Shawcross and shooting past Simonsen. Scunny were in a dangerous mood and Pato could have given them the lead but his shot hit the bar. Shawcross was then lucky to escape sanction after he seemed to handle the ball inside the penalty area, but at least this referee gave Stoke a break by letting play continue.

The game seemed to be heading for a draw until a mad last ten minutes saw Scunthorpe take the lead after an unstoppable shot from Goodwin from the edge of the penalty area ended up in the top left hand corner of the net, giving Simonsen no chance.

If the Championship newcomers then went to sleep, you can never say that the Potters gave up. Just two minutes later, a neat Stoke free kick just outside the penalty area by Liam Lawrence found substitute Stephen Wright who drilled it into the six year box, whereupon Heyes slid the ball into the back of his own net.

One point sounds good, but three points sounds even better and this came courtesy of Liam Lawrence in the 93rd minute. Danny Pugh’s run down the wing culminated in an exquisite cross which landed on Lawrence’s head and he easily headed it into the back of the net from three yards.

Great result against a side that have been one of the surprises of the Championship so far this season and a vital set of three away points keeps the Potters hanging on in there in seventh position.

Scunthorpe United: Murphy, Byrne (Williams 73), Crosby, Butler, Youga, Taylor, Goodwin, Cork, Hurst, Paterson, Hayes
Subs not used: Lillis, Baraclough, Forte, Morris

Stoke City: Simonsen, Zakuani (Wright 83), Cort, Shawcross, Dickinson, Lawrence, Eustace, Delap, Pugh, Cresswell, Fuller
Subs not used: Hoult, Pericard, Parkin, Phillips